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The Government will introduce English as an optional medium of instruction to A/L Science students from May 2002.
This decision comes in the wake of the necessity to educate the masses in the English language, since students so far have studied in the Sinhala medium in schools. After careful consideration of the availability of trained teachers in all schools with A/L Science classes and the ability of the state to provide this opportunity to children in all parts of the country, the Government has taken this decision.
The Ministry will also study the feasibility of extending this programme to other classes (e.g. Grade 6) from 2002, for selected subjects, provided the availability of sufficiently trained teachers is confirmed.
“Although the Ministry of Education attempted to commence this programme this year, it was found that the majority of schools were not able to offer this facility to all their students. The teacher training programme that commenced at the NIE in January 2001, would also be insufficient to equip all A\L Science teachers to teach in English by May 2001,” Ministry sources said.
Therefore it has been decided to expand and strengthen the existing teacher training programmes until A/L classes commence in May 2002.
In addition, the Ministry will recruit additional teachers with proficiency to teach in English, use additional expertise from local and overseas resources wherever possible to help with the teacher training, establish a special institute essentially for English teacher training and to make available books, audio/video material for use by A/L Science students, prior to 2002. The recently established English and Foreign Languages Unit of the Ministry of Education will spearhead this activity in collaboration with the NIE, Universities and other relevant government and non-government organisations connected to education.
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